Count On Me
by bmak08
Summary: HS!AU - Dean helps Castiel to face his fear.


**A/N:** So, here is a silly little schmoopy Dean and Cas fic that is an HS!AU of it's own! I have no idea where this came from but I hope whoever reads it will enjoy it! It is a little **R** rated so do keep that in mind and I'm sorry for any mistakes because it is unbetaed! Thank you and I do hope you enjoy! :D

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><p>"Dean, I can't do this."<p>

"Cas, don't be scared. I got you, man...I won't let anything happen to you."

"No, Dean...I can't do this. I just can't."

"What are you gonna do if one day we're at the beach, I'm about to drown and you can't come and save me? I would die, Cas, and it would all be your fault. I would _die_ because of you."

"Lifeguards are there to save your life if anything were to happen."

Dean glared at his boyfriend, mouth falling open in shock. "You don't care if I die? Baby, that hurts." He moved closer, wading through the water and manoeuvred himself between Castiel's legs, resting his hands on his thighs. "I would totally haunt your ass if you let me drown," he said with amusement.

Castiel sent a small smile his way and looked down at his legs dangling in the water as he sat on the edge of the swimming pool. Maybe he should take the literal plunge and actually learn how to swim. Ever since he was a kid, he'd had an irrational fear of water which meant that he'd never ever learnt how to swim and had avoided the local pool and any beach trips like the plague. He'd slipped his secret when Dean had one day mentioned how great it would be to learn surfing when they went to the west coast over the summer for their summer break. Castiel had then accidently mentioned that he wasn't so confident in water.

Dean had been shocked at the revelation and had insisted that he learn to swim. Not only so that they could actually go to the beach together and not have him sit on the sand the whole time, but also because he wanted him to be safe...so that he was capable of taking care of himself if anything bad were to happen and he wasn't around. It's better to be safe than sorry, Dean had told Cas. In any case, Dean had decided that no matter what, he was going to teach Cas how to swim. He'd managed to get Ash to get him the keys to the local pool near their school, so that Dean could teach him, after hours, on his own when no one was around.

Ash was an _awesome_ friend.

"Hey, Cas." Dean slid his hands up to Castiel's waist, rubbing his thumbs gently across the hollow of his hipbones. "If you don't want to do this, it's okay. I'm not gonna force you."

Castiel closed his eyes and swallowed hard. He had to face his fear someday and if it was with Dean helping him through it, then why not?

"I-" he hesitated, shuffling closer to the edge, his hands gripping the sides, knuckles white. "You won't let me go, will you?"

Dean moved closer and wrapped his arms around Cas' waist, dropping a soft kiss to his stomach. "Never ever, you trust me, right?" he asked, gazing up at him with a small smile. Castiel smiled back and ran a hand through Dean's hair lovingly, "Of course I do."

Dean grinned widely and pushed himself backwards and away from Castiel into the water, holding his hands out. "Come on then, time to be brave, Cas."

Taking a deep breath and straightening his swimming trunks, Castiel slowly got into the water, hands still gripping the sides in a death grip.

"Cas, come on...let it go and just walk it over to me. The pool isn't so deep here," Dean said reassuringly, paddling a little closer holding his hands out.

A rush of goose bumps surfaced as the cold water hit Castiel's bare skin and he exhaled slowly. Fully immersed in the water and standing on tiptoes to keep his head above water, he grabbed a hold Dean's hands. Panic beginning to set in, he wrapped his arms around his shoulders, burying his head into his neck. Castiel had no idea what this fear was and why it had been ingrained in him so deeply, but right then, his pulse was flying through the roof and he could hardly breathe. He couldn't think about anything other than wanting to get out.

"Hey, hey...you're okay. Cas, you're okay...I'm here and I got you...you're okay," Dean soothed, holding him close. Feeling Dean's heartbeat against his own and his hand rubbing his back in gentle motions helped him to calm him down and get his breathing back to normal. He was pretty sure he was going to leave bruises on Dean's back from holding onto him so tight.

"You good down there?" Castiel heard Dean ask after who knows how long. He'd lost track of how long they'd been in the water just embracing each other. "I think we're gonna have to take this a step at a time. No proper swimming lessons today, we can just stay in the water and let you get used to it, okay?"

Castiel swallowed hard and nodded, finally managing to lift his head from Dean's shoulder but he couldn't look at him, a blush rising on his cheeks. "You must think I'm ridiculous...I'm sorry."

Dean snorted a laugh and lifted Cas' chin with his finger. "You don't need to apologise, man. We all have fears and the fact that you're here right now definitely means that you're not ridiculous at all."

"But I'm an eighteen year old boy who has an irrational fear of water and doesn't know how to swim, that is ridiculous, Dean," Castiel confessed irritably.

"And I still love you despite that," Dean said with a wink and pulled him flush to his body. Making sure that Castiel had a good grip on him, he waded them further into the pool but near to the edge just in case Cas wanted to make a quick exit. Dean pushed Cas' back to the pool wall and clamped his hands around his waist.

Castiel shivered and squeezed his eyes shut as Dean moved him, trying so very hard not to freak out. He was safe and Dean had a hold on him and he wasn't going to let anything happen to him.

"I feel so stupid," Castiel admitted with frustration, his brows furrowed and his mouth forming a small pout which Dean thought was adorable.

"It's not stupid, Cas." Dean leaned in quickly to kiss his pout away. "Like I said, we all have fears and the fact that you're facing them now makes you strong and brave, not stupid."

Castiel opened his eyes and let a small smile curl up on his lips. "Why are you so good to me?" he asked honestly.

Dean laughed, nudging his nose with the other boy's and kissed him softly, "Because you're amazing, that's why. What kinda question is that?"

Castiel shrugged with a grin. "I don't know, it just slipped out."

"You're weird," Dean punctuated with a kiss to his cheek. "So, you wanna get outta the pool or are you good for now?"

"I'm good for now, but I know what will make things even better," Castiel said, blue eyes glinting with mischievousness.

Dean leaned in closer with hooded eyes. "Oh yeah...and what's that?"

Castiel didn't say another word but closed the distance and pressed his mouth to Dean's. He tilted his head to deepen the kiss and Dean groaned in appreciation, opening his mouth to allow Cas entrance. He licked into his mouth, kissing him hard, tongues twining languidly and wrapped his legs around the other boy's waist to kiss him hungrily. Dean left Cas' lips and moved his mouth to his jaw and neck, nipping and sucking at his skin there. But Castiel pulled him back to his mouth by his hair, fingers twisting in the short strands as he captured his mouth, biting on the bottom lip before sucking on it and kissing him slow and soft. After a couple of minutes of intense making out, oxygen was needed and they broke for air. Their lips were red and swollen and kiss-bitten but Dean leaned in for another kiss anyway, swiping his tongue at the corner of Castiel's mouth.

"So, kissing makes everything better, huh?" Dean said quietly, panting as he tried to get his breath back.

Castiel bit his bottom lip and tried so very hard not to laugh. "I believe so."

Dean nodded, combing his fingers through Cas' messy dark hair. "'Kay, next time I cut my finger, you kiss me. I drop a wrench on my foot when I'm working on a car, you kiss me. When you're stressing about exams and homework, I'll kiss you." Dean's face broke out into a grin hearing Castiel laugh heartily and he couldn't help but lean in and nuzzle his nose behind his ear, dropping a kiss right there.

"And if I do anything to mess us up, then promise me you'll kiss me and then kick my ass for being so stupid and make everything better," Dean whispered. Sometimes Dean couldn't believe he'd found something so amazing, so young, and he hoped that he would never do something stupid to ruin what they had. Sometimes he felt like he didn't deserve any of this.

"Dean," Castiel sighed. He cupped the other boy's face in his hands and pressed his mouth to his softly. "I love you and you won't mess anything up, okay?"

Dean's lips twisted into a smile and he leaned his forehead on his. "Why are you so good to me?"

Castiel chuckled and kissed him once more, quirking an eyebrow. "Because you're amazing, that's why. What kinda question is that?"

Dean laughed hard then, feeling like his heart could no longer contain the love he had for Cas. He kissed him hard and bruising and dragged him towards the edge of the pool, gripping his hand tightly. "Dean, where are we going?" Castiel asked curiously, the chill of the air whilst they made it out of the pool suddenly making him shiver.

"To show you how amazing I am...in the showers," Dean said with a wink. Castiel laughed and another type of shiver passed through his body and he followed him into the shower room.

"Just out of curiosity, will this be happening after every swimming lesson?" Castiel asked seriously as Dean helped strip him of his swim shorts.

Dean pulled Castiel close and left an open mouthed kiss to his neck. "Only if you're a good student, Mr. Novak," he murmured hotly.

Castiel laughed and wrapped his arms around Dean's waist, letting him lead him into the shower, kissing as they walked backwards, careful not to trip over.

If every swimming lesson ended this way, he was going to learn to swim hundreds and hundreds of miles for as long as he could.

Only for Dean.


End file.
